1. Technical Field
The invention relates to networks, and more particularly, to a system that connects two or more devices.
2. Related Art
Networks allow computers to communicate. Networks sometimes establish a cohesive architecture that allows different equipment to transfer information in a near-seamless fashion. There are several ways to physically connect computers including daisy chain and ring topologies.
A daisy chain connects devices in series. To minimize conflicting communication requests; each device in some daisy chains may be given a different priority, in other daisy chains a device may monitor a communication channel and transmit when an exchange ends. In a ring network devices are connected in a closed loop or a ring. Messages are passed around the ring from one node to the next in one direction. When a node receives a message it examines the destination address attached to the message and accepts it or passes the message to the next node.
While the continuous passing of messages allow some ring networks to cover large distances, adding new nodes or devices to a ring network may be difficult. To add a new or additional device, that device must be inserted between existing devices that may require a connection to cables and devices that are concealed. A break in the ring will also bring down the entire ring network. Therefore, there is a need for an architecture that simplifies reconfiguring networks. There is also a need for a ring architecture that may bypass a failing node.